Automobile bumper



April 1, 1930. J. M. HOWE AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed on. 27, 1928 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATE, mm Price JAMES M. HOWE, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIG'NQR TO THE EATON AXLE & srnm COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO I i AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Application fil ed October 27, 1928. Serial no. 315,483.

This invention relates to automobile bump ers and more particularly to automobile bumpers of the flexible bar type.

An object of this invention is to provide a bumper having impact bars, which have been bent in one plane only, assembled so as to have the appearance of impact bars which have been bent in two planes.

I Another object of this invention is to provide a bumper having bent impact bars, assembled in such position as to have the appearance of impact bars which have been bent edgewise. I

Still another object of this invention is to provide for manufacture at low cost, a bumper which, in appearance, closely resembles a bumper employing impact bars bent in two planes. 4 I j A further object of this invention is to provide a bumper havingimpact bars, bent in one plane only, assembled in suchposition so as to provide a wider impact surface centrally of the bumper than at its ends.

Another object of this invention is to pro- 2 vide an improved form of clamp'for holding and supporting impact bars in proper position. j

WVith the above and other objects in view the invention may be said to comprise the bumper illustrated in the accompanying drawings, hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the bumper, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; 7 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 ofFig.2;and

Fig. 4: is a-se'ctional view taken on line 44 ofFig.2. The bumper of the present invention is of the flexible bar type designed to be attached to the frame of an automobile for thepurpose of'protecting the automobile from'damage. AS shown in. the drawing, the bumper, com

prises a supporting bar 5, adapted to be attached to the frame of an automobile, and spaced impact bars Grand 7 secured to sup porting bar 5 as by means of end clamps 8 and a center clamp 9.

The impact bars are exactly alike, and may be formed from bars of spring steel, of suit able cross-sectional shape, by bending or curving the stock in one plane only, that is, in the plane which passes through the bar and-includes the minor aXis'of its cross-section, and whichincludes' the longitudinal axis, of the bar. The impact bars 6 and 7, shown in the drawings, are formed from bars of flat stock which have been bent in one plane only to provide each bar with a central forwardly extending-bend 10, a forwardly extending bend 11 adjacent the ends of the bars and a reverse orr'earwardly extending'bend 12 connecting central bend 10 with end bends 11. As a convenient means for holding the impact bars 6'and 7 in proper position and for securing these bars to supporting bar 5, I provide end clamps 8, which are of an improved form. These end clamps 8 comprise a front plate 13 having spaced lugs '14 formed on the'rear surface thereof, and a clamping member 15 bent to provide oppositely inclined end portions 16 and a central recessed portion 17 in which'supporting bar 5 is re ceived. From plate 13 a stud 18 projects rearwar'dly through supporting bar 5 and clamping member '15 and is provided with a nut 19and lock washer 20 for drawingthe parts together. Lugs 21 areformed on: inclined end portions 16, preferably by laterally displacing a slug ofm'etal by the application ofa shearing force. Adjacent each end of impact bars 6 and 7 a perforation 22 is provided in which lugs 14 and'21 engage when the impact bars are held between front plate 13an'd clamping member 15. Whenassembled as shown in" the drawings, impact bars '6 and 7 are held in spaced relation by end clamps 8, with bar G'tilted upwardly from the horizontal plane represented by line AB, and bar 7 tilted downwardly fromthis horizontal plane," By thus -tiltin the impact bars the vertical spacing'of the fiarsis made greater at their cen'terf than at 1 their ends,

bar' 5 and impact bars, 6 and 7 together centra-lly of the bumper. To accomplish this nd, I ha e them n1 1 rt ng ba farmed with .aqeatna inw rd y con e ding b d 2. hich support t re ter amp 19- Th s cente clamp, a sh wn n F g- :3, m ni-a ises a clamping member 24 having inclined end po t on 2 fron :plat 2. cam-ring stud 27 wh c pr j c s z earwe i yh o a r clamping m mb 2a a d supp ng a Whjen assembled ,position, impact bars .6

a Th m again i d en pe ens 2. whi e nr i t o 28 f rm d i eg w t plate-26 extends between the bars. j Stud 271's pmvided Wi fiH 1 %2 :.8 I11. Qk- 3 30 y means of which clamping member 24 and Plate 26 are drawn together so as-to engage the-impact bars and thusassist end clamps 8 in hol'ding these bars in tiltedyvertically spaced position.

I wiil new r d ly apparen a he the bumper is viewed from the front, as shown in Fig. 1, the forwardly extending bends of ,the tilted impact bars appear as a plurality ojfportionsoppositely arched with respect to the horizontal plane, and that in appearance the bumper closely resembles a bumper ihaving edge-bent impact bars.

WVhile I hayeshown anddescribed the preferred embodimenttof my invention, it will be uI1de rstood that vari ous changes and alteractions m y bm'nade th rein Wi h t dep ing from t e spi it of the MQ L i o th scop i th appended c aims 1 Ha i g :t us desc ibed in entionyl cla m;

1, bump r compr ng a suppor i g bar an-dn p ur i y of impac barss ured to-saiiv-d suppe ing 'i er, iorle' f said i pact bar :hav ing alte nate fo w rd y and rea -ward y tending be ds f rmed ther in an being tilted npna dly fr m a horizon al plan whe ebysaid ba app ars to have phuality of yertica'lly arched .aportions when the bumpe -is-viewed from-the front.

=2.- A bumpe Q0mP SiI g a supporting bar and a plll'l'fl'l'i'tyof impactpbars se urcdr o said suppor ng bar, one of said impact. :bars have alternate forwardly and re'arwardly ex; ibendis formed zt-hQI'GlIl and being tilted upwardly from a horizontal plane whereby said bar appears tohave a-plurality of vertically arched portions when the bumper is viewed from the front, and means for securing said bars together at the center of the bumper.

3. A bumper comprising a supporting bar 7 a d a p ral ty :of mpac ha- 1 secur to said supporting bar, said -;im,pac.-t {bars each having a plurality of forwardly extending bends, one of said impact bars being tilted upwardly and another tilted downwardly from a horizontal plane whereby said tilted bars appear tohavc a plurality of vertically opposed arched portions when the bumper is A ump rompri ng a .--suppor ing her,

a plurality of impact bars each havinga pluali y o f a d y xtending bend tormed thcreizusaidimpact bar-s beingsecuned to said supp rt ng an heldtherebyi in i ed position whereby said impact bars appear to have vertically spaced oppositely arched por tions forming a wide impact-surface at the I center of the'buniper and vertically spacedoppositely arched portions forming na rower impact surfaces at the lends'jof theibumper.

6. A bumper comprising asupporting bar, a plurality ofimpact bar's each having aphirality of forwardly extending bends formed therein, said impactbarsbeingsecuredto said supporting bar and'held thereby in tilted position whereby saidimpact bars appear to have vertically spaced oppositely-arched portions forming a wide impact surface at the center 01 35116 bumper and vertically spaced 0p.- positely arched portions forming narrower impact surfaces at the ends of the bumper, and means for securing said :bars together at the-centerofthebumper. V

7. A bumper comprising aisupporting bar and a pluralityof impact bars secured to said supporting bar, said impact barsthavingalternate forwardly and rearwardiy extending bends formed therein, said bars being tilted from a horizontal plane whereby the forwardlyiextending bends :of said bars appear as portions oppositely arched with respect :to said plane when the bumper is viewed afi om the front. 4

8. A bumper comprising [a supporting bar and :a :pluralityiofimpact bars-secured to said supporting bar, said-impact bars having alternate forwardly and rearwardly extending bends formed therein, :Siiiid bars being tilted from a horizontal plane whereby the forwardly extending bends of said bars appear as portions oppositely arched with respect to said plane when the bumper is viewed from the front, and means for securing said bars together at the center of the bumper.

9. In a device for clamping parts in spaced relation, the combination of a plate having spaced lugs adapted to engage openings in said parts, a bar having spaced lugs adapted to engage said openings, and means for :t'orcing saidbar and said plate toward each other.

10. In a device for supporting parts in spaced relation, the combination of a supporting member, a plate having spaced lugs adapted to engage openings in said parts, a bar recessed to engage said supporting member and having spaced lugs adapted to engage said openings, and means for urging said bar and said plate toward each other.

11. In a device for supporting parts in tilted relation, the combination of a support, abar carried by said support and having inclined end portions against which said parts bear, lugs on said end portions adapted to engage openings in said parts, a plate having spaced lugs adapted to engage said openings, and means for urging said bar and said plate toward each other.

12. In a device for supporting members in spaced tilted relation, the combination of a support, a bar carried by said support and having inclined end portions against which said members bear, a plate engaging said members and having portions extending therebetween, and means for urging said bar and said plate toward each other.

13. In a device for supporting members in spaced relation, the combination of a plate, a support, a bar having inclined end portions with lugs thereon adapted to engage in openings in said members, and means for urging said bar and said plate toward each other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES M. HOWE. 

